4 April 2023 03:59 pm Views - 424
The Ministry of Trade will take stern action against traders who sell goods at exorbitant prices during the festive season, Trade Minister Nalin Fernando said today.
He told Parliament that the Trade Ministry, Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) and the Department of Measurement Units, Standards and Services will implement a joint program from Thursday (6) to raid traders who sell goods exceeding the controlled or maximum retail prices.
The Minister said it has been the practice since the past where prices of goods are not reduced when prices go down whereas prices are increased as soon as prices go up.
He said prices of diesel and gas have been reduced and therefore the prices of goods should also go down.
The Minister said he will not hesitate to import goods that were in short supply in the country and added that rice was imported when there was a shortage of rice in the country.
"We are also importing eggs as they are in short supply at the moment," he said. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)